Remaining Races

Today is the Georgia runoff, and Sean Quinn, who has been providing excellent coverage throughout, is in the boiler room. His update is fairly optimistic, although other news outlets are reporting short lines throughout the state, and considering that Saxby Chambliss was reported to be winning among early voters, that's not a good sign for Jim Martin.

In the other undecided race in the US Senate, the Minnesota seat between Norm Coleman and Al Franken, the recount continues amid conflicting reports. While the main numbers based on votes tallied shows a 340-vote lead for Coleman, based on the Franken campaign's math, which takes into account frivolous challenges of ballots, he's only behind by 50 votes, and as a wild-card, 171 new ballots have been found in a Franken-friendly county, which gave Franken a net gain of 37 more votes. It seems like every year boxes of ballots just get found months after the election, and it's baffling to understand how or why. In addition, there are potentially thousands of absentee ballots that have been tossed out, which the Franken campaign is still protesting (and which the Secretary of State is preserving, which means that the courts could overturn the ruling and the ballots could be recounted fairly quickly). There is no telling where this race is headed - to the courts or even to the US Senate.

After a recount, the candidates or any eligible voter can head to court to challenge how the election was conducted or the votes were tallied. The Minnesota law spelling out the contest raises the possibility of Senate involvement.
"I don't think there is any possibility it will be simply a recount," said Hamline University law professor Joseph Daly. "It is destined for the courthouse and ultimately it is destined for the United States Senate based on this law. There's too much at stake. There's too much vitriol." [...]

Within 20 days of the initial filing, a trial is held. The court decides who received the most votes and is entitled to the certificate of election. The court can study evidence of election irregularities, but it can't issue findings or conclusions.

Once all appeals are exhausted, either party can ask that the information be forwarded to the presiding Senate officer.

From there, it's up to the Senate to decide how to proceed.

"Ultimately the Constitution gives the Senate the sole power to determine the qualifications of its members," Ritchie said. "In the end, there is no appeal if the Senate makes the decision."

Keeping fingers crossed at the outside shot at 60. We'll know more tonight...